Subj : Re: Goulash
To   : Carol Shenkenberger
From : Dave Drum
Date : Thu May 30 2024 05:54:00

-=> Carol Shenkenberger wrote to Dave Drum <=-

 > Us crazy Americans will insist on corrupting other's regional cuisine.
 > Hell, we even put pineapple on pizza. And have been known to salt our
 > beer. Not to mention the obscenities we visit on chilli con carne -
 > turnng it into chilli con carnage.   Bv)=
 >
 > And don't get me started on what we've inflicted on Oriental food.
 > I mean chow mein noodles - from a can??? Are you kidding me??? Then
 > there's this ....
 >
 > MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06
 >
 >       Title: American Chop Suey II
 >  Categories: Five, Pasta, Beef, Vegetables
 >       Yield: 5 Servings
 >
 >      16 oz Pkg uncooked elbow macaroni
 >       1 lb Ground beef
 >       1 lg Onion; chopped
 >  21 1/2 oz (2 cans) tomato soup
 >            Salt & pepper to taste
 >
 CS> Ugg, that's not even remotely 'chop suey' by any stretch.

Of course you realise that Chun King (brand) is not Chinese.

 CS> Chop suey is claimed by the americans but was devised by Chinese
 CS> railway workers it seems.  Lots of variation but it's likely roots are
 CS> an americanized version from Chinese immigrants, based on available
 CS> products.

The legend I heard has it "invented" in Gay Bay (San Franciso)  by Anglos
not in their largish "Chinatown".

I remember my grandmother treating me and my sister to this at our local
Five and Dime (yes, I DO remember actual "dime" stores). In my town we
had S.S. Kressge (which grew into K-Mart), Woolworth's (which morphed to
Woolco). And a Ben Franklin store which jus, afaik, evaporated.

Also heard this "legend" The Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink 
as a main source. That book states: "A likely origin for American chop 
suey is the recipe for Chop Suey Stew in the `1916 Manual for Army Cooks', 
an urtext for many institutional foods of the twentieth century. The army 
recipe could be made with either beef round or pork shoulder, beef stock, 
barbecue sauce, and salt." 

I found that quote in a nice discussion of the dish at:
https://sampan.org/2021/history/the-origins-of-american-chop-suey/

Definitely worth a read.

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06
 
      Title: Woolworth's Lunch Counter Chop Suey Chow Mein
 Categories: Pork, Rice, Vegetables, Mushrooms
      Yield: 4 Servings
 
      1 tb Lard
  1 1/2 lb Pork; in 1/2" cubes
           Salt & pepper
           Flour
      1 lg Spanish onion; diced
      3 c  Sliced celery
      3 tb Soy sauce; regular strength
      2 tb Molasses
      1 c  Liquid drained from veggies
      8 oz Canned mushrooms
     16 oz Canned Oriental Vegetables
           Sticky steamed white rice
           Fried chow mein noodles
           Soy sauce
 
  PRESSURE COOKER -- Heat shortening in cooker. Dust meat
  lightly with seasoned flour. Brown meat in batches in
  hot, smoky oil. Add onion, celery, soy, molasses, and
  liquids from canned vegetables. Cover. Set rocker (pot
  only had one pressure setting). Heat until you get a
  steady rocking and cook 10 minutes. Cool of its own
  accord. Stir in vegetables and heat through.
  
  Serve: chow mein noodles on bottom; 2 scoops of rice; 1
  ladleful of chop suey; extra soy sauce. (And they always
  brought catsup.)
  
  From: http://www.recipesource.com
  
  Uncle Dirty Dave's Archives
 
MMMMM

.... Ketchup + hot sauce = better catsup.
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